BEIJING: China on Thursday denounced as an 'exaggeration' the latest Pentagon report that its military could pose a credible long-term threat to the US and reaffirmed its strong resolve to deny independence to Taiwan.

"China is strongly resentful of and firmly opposed to a US annual report on its military power," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said while reacting to the Pentagon's report.

"The 2006 China Military Power Report, issued by the US Defence Ministry, has continued to spread China's threat and severely violated the principles governing international relations," Liu said.

He said the report, still with the "Cold War" mentality, has exaggerated China's military power and military expenditure with ulterior motives and wantonly interfered in China's internal affairs.

"China is a peace-loving nation and has insisted on a way of peaceful development, with a national defence policy that is defensive in nature," he said.

Liu said it is natural for China, a sovereign state, to develop its national defence which is aimed at defending national security and safeguarding territorial integrity.

"Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territories. The Chinese government sticks to the policy of 'peaceful reunification and one country, two systems'," he said.

Liu said the Chinese government will exert its utmost effort and show all sincerity to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification of the motherland.

However, he said, China will never tolerate "Taiwan independence" and will never allow any one to separate Taiwan from China in any way.

Technically, the island of Taiwan is not expressly a province of China. It is a de facto province of the Republic of China, outlined by intent of the agreement by the Allies in the Cairo Declaration. But the Cairo Declaration is unsigned, and is a declaration of intent. As such, it doesn't hold the force of a treaty, and only the allowance by the U.S. of the Republic of China taking possession and administrative responsibility for the island following the end of the war that effectively transfers possession from the U.S. to the Republic of China.

I'll note here that it is probably also important to note that Japan surrendered to the United States, and thus the unconditional surrender of Japan limited Japan to its main islands and stripped it of all other possessions. By historical standards, to the victor go the spoils, and by default the United States is the true title holder to the island of Taiwan. De facto ownership was transferred to the Republic of China, and the Republic of China remains in de facto possession to this day.

As the history texts show, the Communists mounted a rebellion and fought a civil war against the Republic of China. This civil war remains unresolved as both the rebellious government, the PRC, and the original government, ROC, both exist today. The ROC retains defacto possession of Taiwan, which it held by agreement with the United States following WWII.

So, either the island belongs to the Republic of China, or it belongs to the United States. Either way, the People's Republic has no claim.

4
posted on 05/25/2006 1:27:33 AM PDT
by coconutt2000
(NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))

In the long run, support from the world (including a US that recognizes one China), will bring about re-unification.

The world will only support it if the Chinese reject communism. More likely is Taiwan is "persuaded" just as Hong Kong was to unify, while the Chinese remain communist. Which may finally wake some people up to the danger.

10
posted on 05/25/2006 8:35:23 PM PDT
by Golden Eagle
(Buy American. While you still can.)

I can accept that. But until then, the pressure needs to be kept on Taiwan so that the two are eventually country. This is not just the desire on the part of the Chinese government, but also of the people. And yes, pressure needs to kept on China to become a democracy. I believe both will happen.

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